Buffer and other springs constructed of india rubber



C. W. C HINE.

' BUFFER AND OTHER SPRINGS CONSTRUCTED OF INDIA RUBBER.

' APPLlCATlO N HLED MAYI8, 1920.

Patented Sept. 26, 1922.

I 1%?) n 07", m WM 51% MW,

V Patented Sep't. 26, lezz.

UNITED STATES 1,430,230 PATENT OFFICE.

' cnmns wunnm cassswnm. sum, or nonxmo, ENGLAND,

BUFFER AND OTHER SPRINGS CONSTBUCTED O1 INDIA RU BBEB.

Application ma Kay 18, 1920. Serial No. seam.

(GRANTED man 'rnr. raovrsrons or me ACT or macs a, 1921, 41 arm. a, me.

To all whom it may concern: a

' Be it known that I, Cmmms WILLIAM Cnnsswnm. Hum, a subject of theKingof Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 5 Molewa Dorking, in thecounty of Surrey, En and, have invented" Improvements in or Be ating toBuifers and Other Springs Constructed of India Rubber, of which t efollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to buffer or other springs of the kind comprisingtwo or more india rubber rin arranged concentricall one within the ot erand to which is moul ed a metal late formed with erforations throughWhlCh extend india ru ber fillings that connect the india rubber ringsat opposite sides of the .plate together and maintain the india rubberrings at the desired distance apart. In use on railway or like vehiclesit is the eneral practice to assemble a number of 81.10% springs incolumn form, on a bufier or draw rod or bar, for example, and toseparate the adjacent springs or spring elements of the column by inter-5 posed metal dividin plates or rings against which the india rublmrrings abut.

The relative positions of the concentric india rubber rings on the metalplates in s rings of the kind in question are such that, when fullycompressed the inner india rubber rings bear with their inner periperies against the buffer or draw rod on which the spring is mounted andthe outer and inner peri heral faces of the concentric india 5 rubbermugs of the set bear one against the other excepting of course the saidinner peripheral surfaces of the inner india rub er rin and the outerperipheries of the outer india rubber rings. The resultis that the 0inner and intermediate rings mutually support each other whereas thereis a tendency when the spring is compremed to forcethe outer indiarubber rings outwardl their proper positions on the meta plates to whichthey are connected or against which they bear and this is resistedefiectively according to the present invention by providing the plateswith annular marginal shoulders that surround and confine the end facesof the said outer india rubber rings. The confining shoulder may be'constituted by the outer wall of a recess or groove in,

the said late in which recess or 'oove the outer in a rubber ring isreceive or seated.

As a result of numerous tests and from 65 observatlons as to the actualworking of sprlngs of the kind under notice in practice t is foundthatthe life of a spring is greatly increased if moisture is prevented fromentermg the annular spaces enclosed by the indla rubber rings. Normallythe compound sprmg constituted by the column of spr ngs or springelements with metal diyldrng plates as set forth above is under suchinitial stress that moisture cannot freely pass within the outer indiarubber rings of the sets of concentric rubber rings but moisture tendsto creep from the marginal portlons of the plates past the outer indiarubber rings towards the centre, this is prevented however in theimproved sprin by the hereinbefore mentioned shoulder w ich preventsoutward movement of the outer rnig relatively to the plate.

1g. 1 of the accompanying drawing illustrates partly in centrallongitudinal section and partly in side elevation a compound or columnspring of the type under notice embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 showing a modification.

Fig. 3 shows in elevation a portion of one of the metal plates mouldedinto the rubber rings.

The spring shown comprises three spring elements each consisting ofthree concentric india rubber rings (1 located at each side of a metalplate 6 that is moulded into them and maintains them the desireddistance apart. As usual the metal plates 6 are formed with holesthrough which extend indie. rubber fillings f that connect to ether the1nd1a rubber rings at opposite si es of the plates. Metal dividingplates 0, not connected to the interposed india rubber rings are locatedbetween the spring elements as shown. For the sake of clearness thespring element and the corresponding dividing plate c at the right handsides of the figures are shown separated from each other and from theother spring elements of the spring column.

The metal plates 1) are each formed with a marginal shoulder d, Fi 1 and3, say one thirty second of an inc or so in dept to revent outwardmovement of the outer ind1a rubber rin? relatively to the plate.

As shown in ig. 2 the shoulder (I may shoulder d for the outer indiarubber rings.-

although in some cases the dividin plates may be plain. In other casesthe ividing plates may have the restraining shoulder and the plates 0 beplain.

As will be understood the invention is not limited to a spring withthree concentric india rubber rings as there may be but two india rubberrings in some cases and in others four or more india rubber rings mayrovided.

at I claim is 1. A spring comprising concentrically-arranged rubberrings, metal dividing plates associated with said rin s and formed withannular marginal shoul ers to surround and confine the end faces of theouter rubber rings, the surfaces of said dividing plates from the outerrings inwardly bein unobstructed to permit the peripheries o theinner'rings to move relativeto the plate.

2. A spring as claimed in claim 1, wherein '5 the low annular marginalshoulders that con-.

fine the :end faces of the outer rubber rings are constituted by theouterlwalls of shallow recesses in said .platesin which recesses the endfaces of the outer rubber rings onlyare seated. 1

3. A spring comprising a number of india rubber rings arrangedconcentrically one within the other and to which is moulded a metalplate formed with perforations through which extend india rubberfillings that connect the said india rubber rings at opposite sides ofthe plate, the said plate normally engagin having at each side a lowmarginal shoulder that surrounds and confines the end face of the outerindia'rubber ring at the corresponding side of the plate, such shouldersa short length of the outer periphery o the ring.

4. A spring comprising a number of india rubber rings arran edconcentrically one within the other an to which is moulded a metal plateformed with perforations through which extend india rubber fillings thatconnect the said india rubber rings at opposite sides of the plate, thesaid plate being formed at each side with a shallow annular recesswithin which the end face of the outer india rubber ring at thecorrespond' 'side of the plate'isseated, the outer wall 0 such recessformin a low shoulder that normally engages a s ort length of the outerperiphery of the ring.'

5. A number of springs as claimed in claim 3 arranged in column form andseparated by meta plates formed with low mar: ginal shoulders adapted tosurround and confine the end faces of the outer india rubber rings whichbear a ainst the said plates, such shoulders norma y engaging a shortlength of the outer periphery o the rings.

6. ,A number of springs as claimed in claim 3 arranged in column formand separatedby metal plates formed with shallow recesses adapted toreceive the end faces of the outer india rubber rings which bear,against the said plates, the outer walls of such recesses normallyengagin a short length of the outer peripher of the rings.

Signed at London, Englan this 21st day of April, 1920.

' CHARLES WILLIAM CRESSWEH. MINE.

